A Reluctant Passion
by Rosegalaxia
Summary: CHAPTER 3! Her life in ruins, Serena Heaton finds herself kidnapped and sold to a man who filled her heart with a longing she had never felt before. Both caught in a web of destiny, their union would be one of passion and love, neither could escape!
1. Chapter 1

Storyline- Her family stolen from her forever, Serena Heaton finds herself kidnapped and sold to a man who filled her heart with a longing she had never felt before. Both caught in a web of destiny, their union would be one of passion and love, neither could deny.  
  
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon doesn't belong to me.  
  
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A RELUCTANT PASSION  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Rosegalaxia  
  
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Lady Serena Heaton reined her mount in, her riding habit bellowing behind her, as the men in front of her stopped to get their bearings. She took a moment to straighten her hat as she gazed out at the darkness which pressed suffocating against them all. The full moon hung bright and glaringly in the sky and even though she wasn't usually prone to superstitions and the like, she shivered as something scuttled down her spine. An ominous stillness was in the air tonight. Something dark, dangerous and unexplainable.  
  
Shaking her silver head at the path her thoughts were taking, she edged her mount closer to the man, Brian Hadly, who was beside her. There was still quite a way to go until they reached an inn and it would do her no good to go into flights of fancy.   
  
But she couldn't help herself. Such a lot had happened these past few months that it was no wonder she was prone to paranoia. First her brother had disappeared, leaving behind no trace, except for a lock of his bright golden hair, discoloured with dark, scarlet blood. Then her mother had vanished a week until a bloated, unrecognisable body had been found, trapped in some weeds along the river's edge. And her father- Serenity closed her eyes as despair washed over her. The wounds were still so fresh she could not bear to probe into them. She must not for the doctor had decreed that to dwell on such matters was not good for her. But how could she not when fate evidently had a vendetta against seeing her close-knit, loving family break into a thousand sharp shards of glass which would cut up and leave any-one dry who did not take care.  
  
Just as her father had been left dry. She could not stop the dark thought from entering her head. Just as her father had been brutally cut open and left to bleed to death.   
  
Shivering in horror as the image of her father's dead body and the blood-washed room imprinted itself onto her mind, she closed her eyes tightly and prayed for deliverance from the cruel memories her brain persisted in throwing at her. She could not bear it for much longer. She was at her rope's end and if a charming knight did not ride in to rescue her from distress soon, she would be no more.   
  
" M'lady. My lady!" Serena jumped as Hadly's high, panicked voice intruded in on her dismal thoughts.  
  
" Yes, what is-" She was not able to finish her sentence though for she felt a sudden wrench at her reins and as she struggled to steady her horse, her startled mind took note of the struggling shapes all around her. The shouts and yells of the men, the clang of drawn weapons echoed all around her in the still night and before she could complete the thought that these vagabonds were no honourable knights, a blow struck her from behind which rendered her unconscious.  
  
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Serena shivered as she felt a cold draught run over her and she tried to burrow further into her soft, warm bed. A frown marred the smoothness of her brow as she realised that the clothe around her was made of rough-textured material and indeed, the surface she was lying on was so hard that it could have been a stone floor. She also had the most atrocious head-ache; it felt as though some-one had hollowed out her brain and was now currently occupied in beating a set of drums inside her head as hard as they could. And this awful rolling motion was certainly guaranteed to encourage the bile in her throat to exit her body and leave her even more faint-headed than she was feeling. What on earth was going on?  
  
She tried to open her eyes but they stubbornly remained shut and her lashes felt as though they were glued together. Bringing a strangely aching arm up to her brow, she rubbed at her eyelids and succeeded in having them give way an inch. But then she groaned as the harsh light of a lantern placed directly in front of her, pierced her tender eyes and struck straight into the back of her brain.   
  
Several rough male voices sounded close by her and in desperation to find out what was happening, she squinted and made out broad figures against the light. And then suddenly, her memory returned.  
  
Wheeling upwards, she found that her feet were bound together and one of her hands was stretched to the limit because it was attached with a rope to her feet. So, she would not be able to stand properly. Wincing as the sudden motion made black dots dance in front of her eyes, she ignored the very increasing possibility that she would soon lose the contents of her stomach. This was more important.  
  
" What-" She licked her chapped lips and swallowed to ease her dry throat." What is happening? Where am I? Who are you?"  
  
Harsh male laughter greeted her agitated questioning and she grimaced in distaste as a grubby, calloused hand chucked her under her chin.  
  
" So," a loud, brass voice droned," The duckie's got a tongue. But dain't any fella tell you not ta open that lovely mouth o' yours until ya're spoken ta?"  
  
Another voice joined in." Nah. These E'glish girls. All the same they are. High an' bloody mighty they are. No 'espect for their be'ers. Me, I tell ya, they need ta be taught a lesson."  
  
" Not by ya they dain't." Another man joined the conversation.  
  
Serena sensed there was something different about him. Of course his speech was just as rough as the two men's before him and he had the same accent and way of speaking that they had but there was authority in the tenor of his voice. An intelligence.  
  
She strained to make out the features of the men but the lantern was still in the way. Wiping her clammy hands on her dress she valiantly tried to still the trembling of her body. Her heart was beating the same rhythm as the drumming in her head and the nervousness and fear coursed through her, faster and faster until she felt that she would faint once again. But she was not the type to go into a swoon as soon as she was face-to-face with something disagreeable. She was strong and she would get through this, holding her head up high. She would show these... these men that she was not just any high and mighty miss, but a brave, courageous high and mighty miss filled with pride.  
  
So she repeated her questions once again." Who are you and where am I?"   
  
The third man spoke to the other men and Serena heard them get up and leave, slamming the door behind them so that the loud noise jarred painfully into her brain. Then, when they were alone and Serena was starting to feel another kind of panic creep up and envelope her in its anything but soothing embrace, he moved the lantern away from her and placed it beside himself. She blinked, adjusting her eyes to the room and as she looked about her, she noticed the bare walls and the few pieces of rotting furniture. Finally, her eyes landed on the figure of the man and she was disconcerted, though not surprised, to find that his dark, intent eyes had been steadfastly fixed on her the whole while. She was his prisoner and of course he would look at her. Just as she would at him.  
  
His hair was scraggly and black. He had tanned skin and the weather-beaten features of a man who had spent too much time in the sun, wind, rain and at sea. For she had gathered by the sound of the swishing water and the rocking movement that she was on a ship on the treacherous waters of the ocean. Perhaps all alone with these villains or perhaps with the other men from her party imprisoned elsewhere. For if the latter was the case, then maybe this situation could still be salvaged. She could free herself and the others and then they would devise a plan of over-taking the ship and turning it around and heading back home... but the thought was too far fetched and she would be better to save her energies for thinking about staying alive.  
  
" Ya'll be safe." The man spoke up with a thread of amusement in his voice." Ya'll be safe wi' us. Though after'ards..." He shook his head and smiled to reveal unexpectedly white teeth.  
  
Serena frowned warily as she caught the hidden meaning." I will not be with you for long? Will I then be given to some-one else with whom I will be in danger?"  
  
The man nodded," 'es. Ya'll 'ave a masta who'll treat ya as he wants ta." So saying, he stood up and with a smug grin towards her, sauntered out of the door, pleased with how the events were going. She would bring a great deal, this cold, pale English beauty. A great deal of money for who could resist her innocent, untouched, foreign air? Not many.   
  
Serena sat, shocked, feeling faint with disbelief. She had heard of these slave trades. People, particularly females, were kidnapped and sold in an auction to the highest bidder where they would have to do what their owners wanted them to do. Their lives would be theirs no longer. Their free will would be taken away from them without any hesitation. And it seemed as if she was heading towards joining the ranks of these unfortunate women.  
  
Oh papa. If only he was still alive.  
  
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Serena stood, uncertainly, as she watched two twin girls, who could not have been more than thirteen, sold to a man with an evil, satanic face. She heard whispers all around her that the man was the owner of a large establishment of dubious reputation. Serena twisted her lips at the irony. She would not have called any-one else dubious if she had partaken in events like these auctions. No indeed. They really had no right.  
  
Her heart ached as she watched the sisters being led off by their gleeful master but she was forced to bring her mind back to her own dilemma. She was next and two men came towards her, to lead her on stage. Her heart beat in fear and her feet took her backwards in a desperate attempt to delay the inevitable. But brutal hands pushed unfeelingly against her back until the two men flanked her on either side and gripping her arms in their own ungentle hands, led her forward, onto the stage to face the jeering, mocking crowd.   
  
The man who was auctioning the people spoke in Greek but as Serena was fluent in several languages, including Greek, Latin and Italian, she had no problem understanding the man. And for the first time in her life she wished that she wasn't so well learned and that she couldn't comprehend what the man was saying. For surely, the unknown was better than the truth in this instance?  
  
" Here we have a beautiful English rose, no more than eight and ten years of age. Such a young, innocent beauty will surely satisfy you and appease any... appetites you may have." Here the man paused and as the red, fiery colour burned Serena's cheeks, the crowd of mostly men gave a raucous laugh." Guaranteed to be pure and untouched, you may skill her in the ways of pleasing you in any way you want for surely this angel will be quick and eager to learn."   
  
Throughout, the men whistled and roared their enthusiasm and Serena hunched in on herself. It didn't help that she was wearing a night gown which seemed suspiciously see-through in the most delicate of places. Her long, thick, silver hair was unbound and lay around her bare shoulders like a comforting, if useless, blanket. She felt her large eyes, as blue as the sky just before a tumultuous storm, shimmer with tears of despair. Her clear, peaches and cream complexion shone with an inner beauty which drew attention away from the noticeable pallor of her cheeks and the white skin around her full, pink lips.  
  
" Let's start at..." The man named a price which was met by an enthusiastic clamour." Okay. We have..... come now, surely you can all do better..... this beauty is worth far more..... you can't hope to gain a prize such as this if you don't dig into your pockets..... come on gentlemen....."  
  
Serena supposed she should be a little bit flattered that so many men wanted her but any-one connected to these sort of people had nothing to be admired about. So she stood there, her head stubbornly bowed, not heeding the hissing comments of the men behind her to lift her chin and show everybody her face.   
  
After a while, the fire behind the bidding faded as the price on her got more and more outrageous. She knew that it wasn't out of any particular desire to have her but because the fierce competitive natures of the men had been aroused. They would probably had been bidding with the same eagerness if it had been an old hag here instead of her though god forbid any such circumstances should befall on any other poor creature.   
  
Finally, it was between two men, both of them yelling out their prices hotly, determined to be the one to claim such a prize as her. She lifted her head as their voices got more and more violent. One of them was nothing but a young man who looked not a day older than twenty while the other one was well over five and forty at least. She did not know whom she preferred. None of them really but since she didn't have a choice, she willed the younger man to keep going. He looked quite innocent and not as harsh as the other one. Maybe he would treat her well... but then, he was still young and probably let his passions rule his life while the other one was experienced enough not to let simple lust carry him away.   
  
At last, the younger man hesitated long enough for the judge to count to three and proclaim her sold.  
  
As she stepped off the stage to be led off to her new owner, Serena hardened her heart and cleared her mind of all distracting emotions. She was a slave who's new life had just begun but she would not leave it to that. She would escape someday, somehow. She would go back home and find and wreak vengeance on those who had stolen all who mattered to her. It wasn't over yet.  
  
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" Stay here and freshen yourself, woman, until you're sent for." With that gruff command, her new master led her to a room and pushing her inside, closed and barred the door behind her. She remained still, standing inside the doorway, staring inside.   
  
The room was quite spacious but there was only a wardrobe and a table in it. In one corner, separated from the room by a curtain, was a hole in the ground she guessed was meant as a toilet. There were various pots around it filled with water and a small tub as well. She stood there for a while longer and thought about what had happened. She had been brought to a large house on the edge of a bazaar. She had seen servants working in the large courtyard and all of them had looked happy. Well, not happy exactly, but content with their lot. She had derived courage from that, thinking that perhaps her new master wasn't cruel and malevolent. Her new master. Ironic that. She had never had an old master so how she have a new one? She just hoped that she would stay with him until she could escape. She would get used to him and better to face the enemy you know that to face one you don't. A little wisdom her father had imparted to her.   
  
Serena came out of her reverie as she felt the door open behind her. She didn't turn around and waited for the person to walk in front of her. It was a woman servant and she was holding a length of clothe, a brush and some soap.   
  
" The master has asked me to bathe and clothe you."  
  
Serena took her cue from the woman and used a coolly polite tone of voice. " Why?"  
  
The woman barely afforded her a glance as she headed towards the wardrobe and flung the door open. " It is not our place to question what the master says."  
  
Serena didn't reply. So the servants seemed loyal to the man. Or maybe they were scared if him, of what he would do if he found out what they had been saying behind his back. " So the master is cruel is he?"  
  
" The master is only cruel to those who deserve it." The servant took out a long white dress and nodded to herself satisfactorily. She went over the table and hung it on a keel beside it. " Now, will you please take your gown off and get into the tub. Time is running out."  
  
Serena wanted to ask why time was running out but she resisted the temptation. She'd probably get an answer like, that the boss had said that time was running out so it must be so. Who were they to question what he said?   
  
She walked over to the tub and along the way, eased the nightgown over the head. She was glad to take it off for she didn't like wearing something that bared so much skin.   
  
As she sat down in the tub, she couldn't help thinking about the future. Why did the man want her to bathe and dress in clean clothes? The obvious came into her mind but she balked at the thought. As far as she knew- and she had limited knowledge on the subject, personal whores weren't dressed in beautiful gowns. Many had to walk around practically naked, with only a tiny skirt and a chain of golden jingles to protect her modesty. Well at least that wasn't what was going to happen to her. Which brought up the question: What did the master want with her?  
  
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Sooo...??? Please review this first chapter. I'm only going to continue if I get a lot of enthusiastic responses.   
  
Rosegalaxia  
  
rosegalaxia@yahoo.com 


	2. Chapter 2

There were quite a few comments in the reviews about me going into more detail about Serena. I will. Information will be revealed in the course of the fic, as it progresses.   
  
Read, enjoy and review!  
  
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A RELUCTANT PASSION  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Rosegalaxia  
  
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Once again Serena stood on a stage while numerous men looked at her. Except that this time the situation was slightly different. On either side of her, stood various other young girls, around the same age as her, all wearing a beautiful dress like her and all with extremely nervous and afraid expressions on their faces. Also, this was no auction. The choice was of one man's. He stood there, slightly apart from the group of men, his eyes alighting on each woman, one of whom he was to choose for his wife... as a gift.  
  
Serena stiffened warily as Darien Straffiony's gaze landed on her. She watched as his eyes swept across her face, down her neck, across her... gritting her teeth in righteous anger, she glared at the man... and then down her legs. A small smile twisted his lips as he brought his eyes up to meet her angry and embarrassed ones. Serena inhaled sharply as she felt hot colour invade her cheeks and she frowned inwardly as she felt a curious sensation start at the pit of her stomach. What was happening to her? What was that man doing to her? She stood there, with her mouth partly open, her chest heaving as she fought to draw in some much needed air.   
  
Serena sighed in relief when, finally, Darien Straffiony's gaze moved over to look at the next girl. Her heart was still racing so fast that it could have outrun the fastest horse if such a thing was possible. She nearly smiled at the mental picture that made but she was too nervous. Her palms felt even more damp then they had been when she'd found out what was going to happen to her. She didn't know whether she wanted the man to choose her for his bride because she didn't know what he was like. Though she had to admit that the alternative to being chosen was even more unpleasant than marriage to a stranger. Surely it was better to be one man's wife than to have to lay down for any man who had enough money to buy her for an evening's entertainment.  
  
Oh she didn't know! She really hadn't thought about being landed in circumstances such as these. She hadn't thought of this happening to her in her worst nightmares. She supposed that was evidence of how pampered she had been but the last few months had seen to removing all innocence and naivety from her. She'd seen things that many others had never seen in their entire lives. But this- this was so new to her.  
  
Well, she thought to herself, she was going to get acquainted with this side of life. Apparently fate had decided that the disintegration of her entire family wasn't enough. She had to loose her virginity, her honour, her self-repect in this fashion as well. Which made her think that perhaps marriage to that man might be the better choice. But oh marriage was so permanent. But then, being the property of a man who ran a whorehouse wasn't an appealing thought either, especially considering that she'd probably have to stay there for as long as men wanted her.   
  
But in the end, of course the decision wasn't hers. She just had to pray to God that he'd show her mercy.   
  
Her 'master' stepped forward and lifted his arms up in a flourish as he pointed to the girls who stood in front of them all. He waked over to Darien Straffiony and made a little bow. " Well sir? Which one would you have as your bride? I assure you that all of them are as untouched as the day they were born-"  
  
The other man lifted a dark black brow to show his disbelief. " Really? All of them must have been with you since the day they were born to warrant such an exclamation."  
  
The master's smile vanished and he opened and closed his mouth as he thought of what to say in the face of this unexpected development. " I... well no. No of course not. They are all foreign and have been guaranteed to be pure. The witch woman herself made sure of that. We can call her here if you wish to have her personal assurance."  
  
Darien smiled. " Who pays the witch woman's fees?"  
  
The men all around the room shifted uneasily. This was definitely unforeseen. Serena also stared at the man. She could tell that what he was doing- asking these questions- just wasn't done but apparently he must be some-one really powerful and with a lot of influence because nobody was confronting him. Instead, the master seemed besides himself to try and pacify the other man.   
  
He wiped his forehead with a clothe as more and more sweat beaded there. " I do sir."  
  
Darien nodded. " As I thought. That means that the witch woman would not want to upset you? Am I right?"   
  
It was apparently a rhetorical question because the master didn't reply and after a moment or two of tense silence, he swallowed nervously and continued with his rehearsed speech again. " They are young and of childbearing age. Any of them would make you an excellent wife."  
  
Darien just nodded again, but it was obvious to Serena that he hadn't been listening to his host. Instead, his thoughtful gaze had been on hers and she swallowed convulsively as she saw him step forward, towards the stage. The master stepped out of his way and stared after him, relieved that he wouldn't be subjected to anymore of the man's interrogation.   
  
All the girls watched nervously and with trepidation as the future husband of one of them stepped up the stairs and stood in front of them. Serena made sure not to look at him. She kept her gaze centred somewhere on the wall opposite her. Even though she couldn't see the man, her skin prickled in startled awareness as he stepped nearer and nearer towards her.   
  
Her reaction must have something to do with this foreign air, Serena thought desperately, she just didn't understand it.   
  
She froze as Darien stepped directly in front of her and his broad chest, dressed in the finest clothe, appeared in front of her eyes. Her breath rattled in her throat and she ran her tongue over her dry lips. She flinched as his hand unexpectedly came up and gently grabbing hold of her chin, he lifted it up so that her face was fully open to his piercing gaze. She kept her eyes downcast, so as not to look into his face, but he kept his grip on her chin strong and lifted it up a little higher so that she winced slightly at the pressure on her neck.   
  
" I choose this one for my wife." His voice sounded from far away and she barely heard him because of the roaring in her ears.   
  
Her eyes finally snapped up and met his and in that moment of close contact, their destiny was sealed.   
  
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He stood facing the window, his hands clasped behind his strong back, and on spotting him, Serena stopped at the threshold of the room where her 'fiancé' stood. She stared straight ahead of her and didn't spare a glance to where they were because she was well aware that he was watching her reflection in the expensive glass and she'd be damned before she showed him how curious she was. Of course there was only a small part of curiosity inside her because mostly, she was filled mind-racking fear as to her future but she wasn't going to show him that either.  
  
Darien Straffiony turned around and looked at her and Serena jerked a little as if his gaze was a physical force. With an enormous amount of will, she kept her eyes trained in front of her even when she saw him start to move towards her from the corner of her eye. Her brain was sending wild messages to her legs to turn and run but where would she go?   
  
" What is your name?"  
  
Her stomach muscles clenched and quivered as the husky tones of his voice reached her, but she kept silent, still not looking at him.  
  
" I asked you a question."  
  
He moved so that he was standing directly in front of, and his hands came up and gripped her shoulders tightly. He pulled her slowly towards him until her nose was practically brushing the front of his chest.   
  
" First lesson: when I ask a question, you answer it."  
  
Closing her eyes momentarily, she took a deep breath and moving her upper body away from his, lifted her head and looked at him.  
  
She opened her mouth and regarded him with barely veiled antagonism. " You, sir, are not a very good teacher."  
  
He was still for a minute but then he bent down until his mouth was level to her ear. She barely suppressed a shiver as she felt his breath stir her hair.  
  
" You, lady, are not a very good pupil," he breathed.  
  
She turned her head away from him but he still had hold of her shoulders and he jerked her around so that she stood facing him again.   
  
" Now," he said, "We will try again shall we? What is your name?"  
  
Serena bit her lip and stared at the odious man's shoulder. They'd be here all night if she just didn't tell him. The man wasn't going to give an inch, it was clear. " I am Lady Serena Heaton."  
  
His grip tightened and he drew her back so that he could look into her face. With raised eyebrows, he regarded her defiant face. " A real lady? Well, who would have thought? A lady." he mused. " And may I ask what a lady like you was doing with a man like him."  
  
Here he jerked his head towards the door and Serena took it to mean that he meant the man who had bought her at the auction.  
  
She glared at him, " I am not here by choice. I was kidnapped and brought to this place by force."  
  
He nodded thoughtfully and continued to look probingly into her face. " I assume you were taken to an auction house where that man bought you?" At her stubborn look, he continued, " Yet, a gently reared lady like you, having been through these horrors, you are looking remarkably..."  
  
He stopped and Serena waited for him to finish his sentence. When he stayed silent and when she could no longer stand to have that intent stare boring into her eyes, she repeated, " Remarkably what?"  
  
" Well, you are not by any means displaying any signs of upset are you? You look very calm."  
  
Serena smiled dryly, " You are nothing to me that I should let you witness what I am feeling."  
  
Darien smiled back at her but she could see the hardening resolve in his eyes even before he pushed her away and strode to the door to call for a servant. " That is where you are wrong, Lady Serena Heaton. For I am your everything now. I am your betrothed, I will be your husband, your lover and your confidante. So you will get used to this now, before it causes serious problems for us."  
  
Without waiting for a reply, he gave some brief instructions to the woman who appeared and after that, without even pausing to glance at her shaken face, he left the room on swift feet and slammed the door behind him.  
  
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Once again, she was on sitting on a mount, with an entourage of several men around her. She thought back to that night when all this had started. History seemed to be repeating itself, but slightly differently each time. She just hoped that when the opportunity presented itself to her, she would be able to escape instead of being bought by some-one. Of course she wasn't on her way to an auction. She was going to get married. A situation she hoped to rectify as soon as possible. She was just waiting for the right time.   
  
Her gaze was drawn towards Darien Straffiony, who was riding at the front of the party and she watched the way the slight wind rustled his thick, black hair. That same nameless something moved in her stomach and she drew in a small breath sharply at the weird sensations she was feeling. Suddenly, as if he was aware of the fact that her gaze dwelled on him, Darien turned his head around and his blue eyes met hers. She continued to stare at him and a small smug smile twisted the hard contours of his mouth. He inclined his head a little and to Serena, it seemed as if the gesture was made in conceited arrogance. She scowled a little and as she saw the smile widen on his face, she sent a mocking smile his way. Let him smile like that after she had made her escape. Huh. Smiling would be the last thing on his mind after the way she would have made him look like a fool.   
  
First though, she would have to make her escape. When that time would some, she did not know. How she would flee, she did not know. But she would, and before the marriage ceremony took place. Way before.   
  
It was late evening when they stopped. The man who had been behind her throughout the ride, took hold of the reins of her horse and led him to a tree where some of the other horses were already tethered. Serena hopped off the horse easily since it was quite small. That man, she thought bitterly, must have given her a small horse on purpose, so that she would have no chance of outrunning any of them. But looking at the big brute Darien was riding, she didn't think there were many horses that could get the better of him. The man or the beast.   
  
She stretched a little to try and relieve the stress in her muscles. She was used to riding- and not slow, dainty, lady-like riding. Her father and her had used to race across the hills for hours on end. Still though, her negligence since her father had died seemed to have taken its toll.   
  
Serena jumped as a heavy hand descended on her shoulder and turned her round.   
  
It was him.  
  
" I hope that you are not too weary after the ride. We would not have ridden so hard had we not been so pressed for time. So you are alright?" His white teeth flashed in the light from the fire which was now being made in the centre of the clearing they had stopped in.  
  
She focused her unsmiling attention on him." Would you care?"  
  
He smiled again, this time without showing his teeth. " Why of course I would. Your safety and comfort is of the utmost importance to me now that you are to be my wife and the mother of my children." He waited for her response but when he didn't get one, his hand tightened slightly on her shoulder. " Just as my comfort is of the utmost importance to you. Do you understand, lady?"  
  
Serena shook her head and let the bewilderment she was feeling reflect on her face. " I do not understand why you are doing this. Why? Why choose me?"  
  
He stared seriously at her. " Would you rather that I had chosen one of the other girls in your place? Is being a whore more preferable to you than being my wife?"  
  
Serena looked down at her hands so that he wouldn't see the glimmer of tears in her eyes. " No. I- I do not know. I just... wish that this was not happening to me. That I was home and all this was a nightmare."  
  
" It is not a nightmare lady. You are not dreaming. This land is your home now and you will have to learn to be happy here, for the rest of your days will be spent here. Would you rather pine after what can never be or would you like to be satisfied with you will have? I assure you, the second option is very much more advantageous and you will be more happy if you adopt that policy."  
  
Serena let out a wobbly sigh and licked her dry lips. " But why? Why would you want-"  
  
"-that is enough." He dropped his hand from her shoulder and taking her arm in his grip, he led her over to an area where his men had hooked a large piece of clothe on the branches of two trees. " There will be no more talk on this subject. Simply accept what is. Now. I want you to rest and make sure that you get enough sleep. Tomorrow we ride hard again if we are to reach my demesne before nightfall. You will find the things you might need inside. Good night."  
  
So saying, he lightly thrust her underneath the clothe and strode away. She stared after him for a moment but then looked around the small area she was to sleep in. It wasn't much. It barely presented a barrier against the harsh wind which had sprung up just as the sun had sunk beneath the horizon. On one corner, besides a tree trunk, was a pile of clothe, which she guessed to be a nightgown of some kind. There was also other smaller pieces of clothe for her use and also quite a sizeable stone chalice which held some water in it.   
  
Well, she grudgingly admitted, at least the man had given some thought to her comfort. Though if he did want what was best of her, he'd make sure that she got back home safely and soundly. But no, he wouldn't do that now would he? It was all up to her.   
  
She lifted a corner of the clothe slightly and peeked out at the scene. Most of the men were gathered around the fire and it looked like they were about to go to sleep. She could see a couple of them, standing in the shadows and presumed that they must be some kind of guards. Of Darien there was no sign. So she must wait for a while until everybody was asleep. And when the time was exactly right and the clouds presented her with cover from the brightness of the moon, she would make her escape. Quietly. Silently. Quickly. Successfully.  
  
Huddled there, on the ground, wearing the nightgown under her gown, Serena shivered from the biting cold which seeped through the thin barrier of the clothe under which she sat. She listened to the howl of the wind as it whistled through the trees. The branches of these trees shook wildly as the ferocity of the storm increased.   
  
Oh Lord, how was she going to get away in this weather? She had a feeling that if she stepped outside for one moment, she would be blown away as if she weighed no heavier than a feather. Still, there was an advantage to this. The men and especially the guards wouldn't hear any noise she made. So tonight must be the night. Now must be the time.  
  
Quietly, grabbing hold of one of the smaller pieces of clothe, she roughly plaited her hair and tied it out of the way. Another piece she used to try and cover her head for she didn't want to chance anybody glancing upon the light which would reflect on her silver coloured tresses. There. She was as ready as she would be.  
  
Crawling forward and lifting a corner of the clothe out of the way, Serena looked out and saw that the fire was almost out except for a few embers which valiantly tried to keep on glowing in the face of the storm they were facing. She could sense no movement in the centre of the clearing and lying down, she trained her eyes on the shadows to where she had last seen the guards. Again, there was no sign of anybody being there. Taking a deep breath, she inched her body out of the barrier the clothe presented and into the open air. Stopping for a moment to get used to the push of the wind against her, she strained her ears to catch a sound of anything which was not natural. Nothing.  
  
She'd had the idea to go from the back, the opposite direction from the clearing. But when she had tried, she had discovered that the clothe had been nailed down to the ground and no matter how she tried, it wouldn't rip. So, here she was. In plain sight of any who was awake. But thankfully, there seemed to be no-one who would raise the alarm. Still lying down, she slithered backwards, hoping to get into the clump of trees so that she could start running. But just as her head drew level with the first of the trees, something heavy planted itself on the small of her back and pressed down. She froze.  
  
" Going somewhere?" A voice said to her, chillingly.  
  
Serena shook her head silently, in despair. No. No no no. Please. Fate would not be so cruel. Hadn't she been already dealt with enough blows?  
  
" Come come lady. Do not loose courage now. You have been very brave- and very foolish- to attempt to escape me. Do not disappoint yourself now by backing down. I think you know that this submission does not suit you."  
  
He was right. She would face him just like she had faced everything else. Bravely.   
  
Arching her back a little, Serena slithered to one side so that his boot would slide off her back. Then lifting herself up on all fours, she wiped her hands on her dress and then standing up, she took a deep breath before turning around to face Darien.  
  
Looking upon his face, she wished she hadn't. She wished that she had taken the cowards' way out. For the look upon his face- she shivered in real fear- the look upon his face was one she had hoped to never see in her life. It was filled with so much rage, his eyes held so much anger in them, that she wished that she had never even thought to escape.   
  
But she had. She had been caught. So she would have to face the consequences.   
  
**********  
  
Rosegalaxia  
  
rosegalaxia@yahoo.com 


	3. Chapter 3

Read, enjoy and review!

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A RELUCTANT PASSION  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Rosegalaxia

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Serena stumbled and righted herself with what little dignity she still possessed as the men's taunting laughter rang out across the courtyard. She lifted her head up high as she felt a prickling sensation along her neck. Her eyes looked around the courtyard until they encountered his. She shivered slightly at the rage still emanating from them; the rage which promised retribution as soon as he had her alone.  
  
For now, he gestured to a man who stood behind Serena. " Brian, escort the lady up to the Wind Chamber. Make sure you..." He trailed off and twirled his fingers around.  
  
Make sure you 'lock the door', Serena interpreted bitterly. She scowled. Her eyes clung to Darien's eyes as his servant gently gripped her arm and nudged her towards the steps which were in front of her. Turning around and lifting her head high, she set her chin and gazed straight ahead, a calm, serene mask on her face. As if she was a guest here. As if she wanted to be here.   
  
Her heart thumped wildly in her chest when she saw, from the corner of her eye, the small smug smile her 'fianc' sent her way. Soon, soon, he would have her alone. And that... that lie he had told her about wanting to marry her. Huh! What a joke. She would be his mistress. His unpaid whore because he already owned her.   
  
But what was done was done. What had happened, had happened. Now she had to think of the future and dwell no longer on the past. She would have to attempt to escape again. But this time she would have help. For the night before last, when Darien had thrown her into a tent, she had discovered four more girls sleeping there. They had been stolen from their homes and had been bought by Darien's men.   
  
Raissa, Minta, Lilah and Amaryllis. Beautiful, gentle, innocent girls who would be innocent no more. Purchased like animals by men who had no concept of treating women gently- who had no respect for the other sex and viewed them as tools put on Earth, merely for their pleasure. It made her so angry when she thought of how helpless they were. Men had no right... absolutely no right to think they were the superior race. It just made her so mad! But no matter. Soon... soon they would see that some women couldn't be controlled.   
  
Soon.  
  
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Serena leaned against the wall and shivered as a gust of wind tore through the room. She could now understand why this was the Wind Chamber. And she could also see why Darien would put her in here- the great, insensitive brute that he was, he would have wanted to punish-  
  
Her head snapped up as she heard the sound of the door opening. She stared, her heart in her throat, at the man standing in the doorway. Not Darien.  
  
" Yes?"  
  
The man who had escorted her to this chamber politely bent his head. " Lord Darien wishes for you to dine with him."  
  
Serena had recovered from her fright and she gave the man an indifferent look. " Why are you telling me what Lord Darien wishes? What have I to do with his wishes?"  
  
The man kept his head down bent. " My lord said that if you did not come, then he would come and fetch you himself. You will face punishment in front of the people of this keep."  
  
Serena's brow rose. " He would humiliate me in front of his people? Me, the woman he claims to be affianced to? Surely not. My honour is his honour now is it not?" She sent a saccharine smile his way.  
  
He uneasily shifted on his feet and finally lifted his head to look at her. She wasn't sure but she thought that she detected an amused gleam in his eyes. " Things are done differently in this part of the world my lady. Punishing one's woman in front of other people shows the man's authority and is a lesson to the other wicked women who would consider denying their masters what they wished."  
  
Yes. They all thought women were tools, put on Earth for their pleasure. Would a day come when women were treated as humans and not as objects?   
  
Serena sighed loudly and stood. " Well, let me not be one of the wicked women then. Let us go."  
  
She walked towards the door and then stopped. The man had not made a move from the doorway.  
  
She stared at him. " Is there a problem?"  
  
He gestured towards her clothes. " I hope that you will not think me too forward but may I say that you are not suitably attired for attendance at the meal. Forgive me but I was sure that I had ordered a serving woman to come and assist you in changing."  
  
Serena sighed again. " No you are not mistaken. The woman came and I sent her away. I am fine the way I am."  
  
He stared at her dusty clothes and mussed hair, then let out a small cough. " You will shame my lord if you appear in front of his people that way."  
  
She shook her head and smiled. " No. For you see, punishing one's man in front of other people shows the woman's authority and is a lesson to the other wicked men who would consider treating their women as things to be owned."  
  
Evidently, he didn't know what else to say so Darien's servant bent his head towards her and swept a hand in front of him, gesturing her to come.   
  
She went. What else was she to do?  
  
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Serena sat in silence in her seat as conversation swirled around her. Darien laughed at something the woman seated near him said. He sat at the head of the table and Serena was besides him. What a strange culture these people had where two people sat at the head of the table.  
  
She poked and prodded at her food with the small wooden spoon she had been given but even though her stomach was grumbling with hunger, she could not bring herself to eat anything. For she had to share her food with Darien. It was on the same plate. It was just too intimate to share food with a strange man. Especially a ruthless and cruel man like Darien. She just could not eat from the plate of a man such as him while others looked on. The men with their sly knowing leers and the women with their furtive glances. Her reasons might sound ridiculous but she just couldn't... it would be like admitting that yes, there was an intimate connection between her and Darien. And that she just could not do in front of his people. Besides all that, she was too nervous to eat. Night was fast approaching, and she sensed, so was her punishment. What was she going to do? How was she going to stop Darien from raping her? For surely that was what he was going to do.  
  
She frowned suddenly as she felt the prickle along her neck and glanced up from where she had been studying the pattern of the clothe on the table. She looked straight towards the man who had been staring at her. He had shoulder-length black hair and from what she could see, he also had dark, dark eyes. He looked a lot like Darien but there was something different about him. Something... less harsher.   
  
He continued studying her, regardless of the fact that she'd caught him staring. How rude some men were! She scowled at him but when he merely lifted a brow in her direction, she sighed and turned her eyes downwards again.  
  
" Serena."  
  
Her head snapped sideways and she jumped to find Darien's face so close to her own. She turned her face away and studied her tightly clasped hands. " Yes?" she muttered.  
  
" You have not eaten anything. I advise that you eat your fill. The coming night is going to be a long one, and you'll need all the energy you can get."  
  
Serena flinched slightly at hearing the reference to what she was going to have to go through. " I will not touch this food or any other food which I must share with you."  
  
Darien was silent for a while but then he gripped her shoulder in his hand and jerked her around so that she faced him. " Why not?"  
  
A sly grin slowly spread across her face. Her countenance was deceptively sweet and pretentious. She turned her face slowly upward, lifting her chin.   
  
She stared straight into his eyes and replied in a deadly whisper, " I do not eat food that has been tainted."  
  
Though she seemed confident, she was shaking inside.  
  
Darien looked back at her, unsmiling. " You will eat the food that is on my plate or you will starve."  
  
" Let me starve then." Serena turned her face away and looked down again. " Let me starve."  
  
She could sense him looking at her but she didn't lift her head to look at him. However, just then her stomach rumbled. She knew that he had heard it also from the amused little huff he let out. So she turned her head and looked at him.  
  
She gave a small, bitter smile. " I remember you saying to me that my comfort is of the utmost importance to you now that I am to be your wife. If what you said is true, then you will let me go up to the chamber I was given and you will send some-one with some food for me. For I will neither dine in this rowdy atmosphere nor will I dine on the food from your plate. I will not share your meal with you."  
  
She held his gaze for a few more moments and then turned her head back again, but this time instead of looking down, she looked straight ahead. She looked at the man who resembled Darien, who was still looking at her and this time she did not back down and look away. She stared right back at him.   
  
Let him find out that some women couldn't be controlled.  
  
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So she did go up to the Wind Chamber. So she was given some food. Knowing the arrogant man Darien was, she could quite accurately say that the food probably came to her straight from Darien's plate. But even though she was still a prisoner of war, she had won her first battle. And it would not be her last.  
  
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She awoke from her uneasy slumber as she felt the cool air on her exposed body. Her eyes snapped open and she snatched in a gulp of air and opened her mouth wide to let out a piercing scream. But before she could make a sound, a mouth covered hers and swallowed the sound she then emitted.  
  
Her hands gripped his arms and attempted to pull them away from where his firm grip held her body down. She could see nothing except his dark face above hers, feel nothing except his hard body on top of hers and hear nothing but his harsh breathing. Oh dear God, Darien was here!  
  
She struggled against him but he was unyielding, unmerciful; he continued to hold her down effortlessly. She desperately turned her head this way and that, and after succeeding in tearing her mouth away from his, frantically gulped in deep breaths of air. Her breath came out in sobs as she felt his mouth at the base of her throat, his tongue stroking against her rapidly beating pulse. His hands fondled her breasts, which were uncovered by the nightgown she had donned before getting into bed. A mysterious dull ache throbbed between her thighs in response to the way Darien fit her breasts in his palms and caressed the soft nipples.  
  
She shook her head at the sensations she was feeling. Not panic. Not disgust. Something... else. Something which was not pain, but was in its own way, painful.  
  
" No." She shook her head and pushed against his shoulders. " Please my lord, no."  
  
His mouth lifted away from the base of her throat and skimmed across her jaw line. " Yes my lady, yes. You attempted to escape from me and deny my authority over you. Now I will bind you to me for all eternity; I assure you that this will be a lesson you will never forget."  
  
So saying, his mouth dipped low again and his lips nudged her nipple, which had traitorously hardened and now stood upright.  
  
As a bolt of heat shot through her body, she subsided against the bed and stared up at the ceiling, her arms lying weakly by her sides, her eyes filled with tears, her heart full of a feeling of hopelessness. What was Darien doing to her to make her feel the way she did? It felt as if her whole body was on fire, yet she did not want the flames to be put out. Instead, she wanted them... fed.  
  
This thought frightened her so much that she, once again, tried to save herself. " Wedding me would be a more stronger and permanent bind than bedding me."  
  
He pressed damp kisses on her breasts. Each time his lips connected with her skin, it was as if an electric current was generated and each bolt struck straight at the base of her stomach. Even though she pressed her lips together, little breathy gasps escaped from her mouth, making Darien laugh a little in triumph. He gripped both her hands in one of his and stretched them up above her head so that her body was more easily accessible to his hands, his mouth, his lips and his tongue.   
  
" I will do both." He whispered, his warm breath fanning across her chest. " I will do both but perhaps not in the conventional order. You will learn the penalty of daring to defy me."   
  
Serena gasped when he clamped his teeth around a small, hardened nipple and sucked ferociously. She moaned when his free hand, rough with calluses, swept over the soft skin of her belly, and down, down, across her sensitive inner thighs. Instinctively, she clamped her legs together but that didn't deter Darien. Giving a soft husky laugh and transferring his attention to her other breast, he roughly jerked her legs apart and swept both his knees in between so that she could not close them again.   
  
And then... and then... he touched her.  
  
Gently, gently, over and over again. Lightly brushing, stroking, caressing.  
  
And all hell broke loose. Her hips bucked wildly, her head arched back and her arms pressed deeper into the bed.   
  
Darien brought his hands to frame Serena's face and jerked it down so that he could look at her. He then brought his lips down to hers. Even though she was barely able to think, Serena guessed his intention and turned her head away. His mouth landed on the hollow under her ear. She lifted her freed arms and gripping Darien's hair in her hands, pulled, pulled as hard as she could. In retaliation to her action, he clasped her ear lobe in between his teeth and bit down causing her to utter a small cry of pain. He also widened his legs so that her legs spread further apart and plunged his fingers inside her.   
  
Serena stopped breathing and her tear-dampened eyes widened at the invasion. Her feet pressed into the bed and she arched a little into his hand. Fear, pain and another emotion, the likes of which she had never felt before had overtaken her body. She turned her head and looked at Darien's triumphant face. Even as her body responded to what he was doing to her, she let out a weary little sigh and closed her eyes, unaware of the small tear which escaped her eye and trickled down her face.  
  
Oh dear God what was this man doing to her? What powers did he have to make her feel like this? For even as she damned herself for responding in this way, her body balanced precariously at the edge of a vast precipice. She had the feeling that if she succumbed and allowed herself to fall over, then she would be changed forever and could never go back to being who she had been. Even as the warning resounded in her brain, fire erupted at the base of her thighs and...  
  
And then... and then... he stopped.   
  
He withdrew his fingers and lifted himself off her body.   
  
Serena kept her eyes closed and shivered slightly as the cool air blew over her damp body. She could feel his eyes looking at her from where he stood at the side of her bed. However, she refused to acknowledge the fact that he was there. She relaxed slightly when she heard the sliding of fabric as he slid his belt and scabbard on. She realised that he was apparently done with her. But even that didn't prompt her to open her eyes.   
  
She stiffened and her breath caught in her throat when she heard him speak. " You will be my wife. Resign yourself to that and let go of any hopes you have of freedom because let me assure you that I have no intention of letting you go."  
  
He turned to leave and as she heard the door open, he spoke again. " If you do not want a repeat of this incident, then do not attempt to escape from me again. If you do, I will find you and I will finish what I have started, in front of my people, in a way which will make the experience far from pleasant for you."  
  
So saying, he went and closed the door, locking it behind him. Serena kept her eyes shut as she heard the echo of his footsteps. Only when the footsteps had faded into the distance, she turned onto her side...   
  
... and cried.  
  
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The next morning, two servant women came into the chamber and awoke Serena up from her troubled sleep. She blinked and gazed at them, her vision blurred.   
  
" What do you want?" Her voice emerged a harsh croak. She swallowed to try and ease the dryness of her throat.  
  
The older woman bent her head and fingered the apron she wore. " Our lord has sent us to bathe and dress you."  
  
Serena stilled, an awful suspicion brewing in her mind. " And why would I need your help to do that? I am perfectly capable of bathing and dressing on my own."  
  
The younger woman shifted on her feet and shot the older one a nervous look. They both stayed silent and continued staring at the ground.  
  
Serena frowned. " Well? Why do you not answer me?"  
  
With a sigh, the older woman spoke up again. " We are to get you ready for your marriage."  
  
Serena let out a disbelieving laugh and stared at them. " I hope you are joking."   
  
But she knew that they were not. They were very serious. What was she to do now? She had thought that she would have a few more days in which to plan her escape more carefully but... apparently Darien had guessed what she might do if she was given more time. So he had arranged this wedding as soon as possible.   
  
She covered her face with her hands and shook her head. Even though she didn't really know where she was, men were the same the world over. Once they had wed a woman, they had ultimate control over her. The woman's rights were ignored by everyone else. If she did manage to escape after the marriage, after she was Darien's, then she knew that it wouldn't only be Darien who would be looking for her. It would also be the law.  
  
She shook her head again. God what was she to do? Perhaps she should just refuse to say her vows. They couldn't force her to say that she would obey, love and cherish her husband for all eternity or whatever other promises women had to make during a marriage ceremony in this part of the world.  
  
Yes. Serena straightened up and gazed at the women with a small smile on her face. Yes. That is what she would do. She would just refuse to say her vows.   
  
So she quietly let the women bathe her, wash her hair with scented water, dress her in a beautiful, white flowing dress, and take her to her groom. She entered a large hall where Darien, several other men and a priest stood. They got on with the 'ceremony'. Then, the time finally came after the priest had finished stressing the seriousness of marriage and the importance of doing everything to make it an everlasting relationship.  
  
The priest looked at Serena and asked her, " Do you agree to take this man as your husband and to obey his every command and to look after his every comfort?"  
  
With her heart pounding in her ears and her palms damp with nervous sweat, Serena stood still and silent. She could sense that everyone was looking at her but she ignored them all and focused on the priest. He stood there, with his hands clasped in front of him and his eyes on Darien's face.  
  
Darien must have given him some sort of a sign because he turned his attention towards Serena and repeated his question... but in vain. Serena remained silent.   
  
However, she let out a little gasp when Darien suddenly gripped her arm in a cruel hold and whipped her off towards another room, adjoining the hall. As soon as she entered the room, her eyes widened to see four girls, kneeling on the floor, with a soldier standing behind them, a sword aimed towards their necks. And Serena understood everything.   
  
Darien must have realised that she wouldn't obligingly wed him. So he had devised a plan. An evil, heinous plan. She closed her eyes and wished she could close her ears as well when the sound of the girls' sobbing reached her. What was she going to do?   
  
Her eyes opened and she stiffened as Darien positioned himself behind her and put his hand on her shoulders to keep her facing the girls.  
  
He bent down a little and placed his mouth near her ear. " Well, what is your answer to be? Yes? And if so, the girls will be allowed to live. No? And if so, you will watch as their heads come off one by one. You will have their deaths on your conscience forever." He gave her a little shake. " Decide."

* * *

I'd like to say thank-you to my new editor Mizz Scarlet, for giving me great suggestions.   
  
Also, let me say that Darien will not rape Serena. What happened in this chapter wasn't rape. It was Darien seducing Serena but as you've read, he stopped when he realised that Serena wasn't wholeheartedly participating. Darien's the hero not the villain. Okay? So no flames about that. 


End file.
